For all the hype about meditation apps bursting out of smartphones and buzzwords like "mindfulness" sneaking their way onto breakfast TV, it's still one of those esoteric, mysterious and generally slightly weird things, that gets people's eyebrows doing that reflexive can't-help-it, slightly pitying wiggle.

If you're feeling non-judgemental, you might concede that it's ok...

Sort of.

For other people.

Maybe for those who are more stressed that you (because you've totally got that stress thing under control), or maybe for those who have all that extra time (because seriously, who has time to sit and do nothing for half an hour a day?)

Maybe for those who have all the fancy paraphernalia already. A zafu (fancy cushion) or a stool (fancy, err... stool). Maybe some incense? Maybe a shrine? Cue Amazon List mode.

But lI found that learning how to meditate is just about the single most powerful tool you can give yourself - and it doesn't need much from you at all.

So if you've been making those excuses and you kind-of-sort-of-want-to-but-can't - here's a thing. They're just excuses and you totally can.

And because everyone loves a good listicle, I present: Five Simple Steps to Learn to Meditate.

(I promise - they're really, really simple.)

Step 1: Find a quiet time. You're not going to need much of it, but it's got to be quiet. No missold PPI calls. No buzzing alerts. No pets/human/machine interruptions should be around at that time. Which makes this usually around the crack of dawn, or some time in the grey part of the night. Or maybe not, and maybe lunchtime is the sweet spot for you. Whenever it is, find it.

Step 2: Easier. Find a quiet space. Probably a good idea to find a spot where you're not going to get weird eyebrow wiggles from other people, because even with your eyes shut you can still feel them. Bedrooms, gardens, kitchens, stationary cupboards. The loo. Hey, whatever works.

Step 3. Set a timer. The insight timer app is one of the best, and it's free. Go for a duration that is the absolute minimum of what you can actually deal with (which is why Step 1 is - Step 1). One to three minutes is perfect to start with.

Step 4. Sit down. However you like. You can keep your eyes closed if you want. Or if you don't, just kind of stare at nothing and space out a little. Sit your butt on whatever you like. It should be relatively comfy, but don't make a huge effort to try to relax. In fact, don't try to do anything, apart from sitting down.

Bonus step. Like everything worthwhile in life, practice makes practice. That means doing it every day. Even if it's just a minute of quiet in the bog (who doesn't have a minute of quiet in the bog?) Every day.

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to spend time with Meghan Currie on her first UK retreat in Glastonbury, Somerset. Promising a “revitalising weekend of yoga, healing waters, detoxifying sweats and restorative nature”, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect – and with a feeling of throwing myself into the deep end, I booked myself in a few weeks before – waiting to see what I’d discover.

Needless to say – it was an incredible weekend, which I was so glad to take part in. I’m still processing so much of what went on, and feeling the slow unfurling effects of all the learning that happened over a few short days. Here’s a review of my experience of “Twinkling Doorways”.

Friday

Heading up the garden path of the Earth Spirit Centre...

We arrived late Friday afternoon, pulling into the Somerset countryside after a not-so-fun drive (M5, I’m looking at you!) and soon after arrival, we were shown to our various rooms to briefly settle down. The retreat was being held at the Earth Spirit Centre – an exceptionally beautiful eco-space in the countryside, and we got to discover just how lovely it was over the weekend.

Before hitting the ground running with a yoga class with Meghan, an initial opening circle gave everyone the time to introduce themselves to each other – and how they got there. And for most of us, it was a pretty similar story – enchanted by Meghan’s breath-taking Youtube videos, we were drawn to see what we could learn from her.

For many of the retreatants, it was also a welcome moment to turn inwards and look after themselves. With many of the participants being yoga teachers themselves, it felt like a much-needed opportunity to work on their own practice for a change. And for those like me (ie. non teachers!) it was a time to get truly inspired.

The opening circle was also a chance to start to get to know Meghan a little more – something we’d all do further over the weekend.

It’s hard to know what to expect – especially in a social media climate populated by Youtube and Instagram celebs who hold a huge amount of influence and power over how we view and process things. It’s easy to form preconceptions – especially someone such as Meghan, who demonstrates such impressive and beautiful physical acts in her own videos. But I think we were all delighted to meet a teacher who managed to be both grounded and assertive, but also playful, charming and wonderfully genuine and warm - and with a pretty dirty sense of humour! - qualities you don't always get to see on other end of a Youtube vid.

The view from savasana... yes, there was a dragon coming out of the walls...

Our first class on Friday was a restorative session, which was a great opportunity to work out all the kinks from travelling. Also – some of the longest savasanas I have ever enjoyed – super soothing!

After class and a delicious dinner, we got to relax a little more and discuss the weekend’s itinerary – which left us with lots to anticipate...

Saturday

The weekend proper started off with a proper power yoga session with Meghan – around three hours in total. Working towards lots of handstands and partner work, it was certainly challenging – and there was plenty to learn.

It was also great to experience Meghan’s structuring of her class – plenty of power, but also a natural opportunity to pause, take stock, absorb and think about what was going on. While the thought of a three hour class might sound terrifying and seriously gruelling, she maintained a lovely balance throughout. I’m pretty sure a lot of us felt like we could have carried on later – rumbling bellies aside!

The magical gardens around the Earth Spirit Centre

We were free to do whatever we liked over the afternoon – with a bonfire and a meditation session with Sally Griffyn of Sacred Mastery Yoga later in the evening. This moved us on to the second aspect of the retreat – the more “shamanic” side of things.

Sally introduced herself and her own shamanic interests and background, which was fascinating to learn about. We also got to know a little more about Jan – the lovely lady who led a conscious breathing practice – something formerly known as “rebirthing” - in a hot tub.

After dinner, we walked up in a procession up to the bonfire – which itself was a preparation for the next big shamanic event of the retreat – a sweat lodge, to be held on Sunday. It was gorgeous just to hang out together beside the flickering flames, telling stories and watching the incredibly clear night sky spread overhead.

Sometime after midnight, the last few stragglers left the fire to die away. Feeling utterly wide awake though, I thought it was a prime time to check out Jan’s hot tub experience. Never having done anything like it before, it was really something quite memorable and intimate. But still feeling totally awake afterwards, I spent much of the wee hours staring spellbound at the stars overhead in the garden. Sacred Mastery Yoga’s own photographer, Andre, was also out – capturing the view of the Milky Way and the constellation of Scorpio.

(Side note – Andre – please reach out – I want to see those incredible photos!)

Sunday

A view of the well at Chalice Well Gardens

Sunday morning was another kick-ass session with Meghan – more inversions and arm balances to play with. This was followed by a trip into Glastonbury to see the Tor, Chalice Well Gardens and a sprint around town – before hustling back for another much needed Yin yoga session. After surviving on 3 hours’ sleep the previous nights, I’m pretty sure I dozed off pleasantly in that one…

The build up to the sweat lodge - via Meghan's Instagram

Then it was sweat lodge time. For anyone who has never experienced it before, it’s well worth taking the chance to do so if the opportunity presents itself. Whatever your personal beliefs, it is definitely a unique and pretty incredible thing to go through. I won’t expand in detail as I think for many people there, it was a really humbling and intimate encounter, one that many of us will remember for a long time.

Also – I slept like a log afterwards. Bliss!

Monday

Meghan demonstrating with a student - we were all rapt with attention!

As the last day of the retreat, there was a pang of sadness at everything drawing to a close. But still – one last power-packed class with Meghan!

Another demo - this time with one of my own teachers, Tom Burlinson - impressing the crowd!

Our last class was possibly my favourite – lots of playing at pressing up into handstands, laughter, and seeing Meghan’s own beautiful practice in action. This was so utterly captivating and it felt like a privilege to have been witness to it. But more than just the impressive nature of her physical practice – the deeply spiritual aspect of it was self-evident, and it left us all awed and very much moved.

Another breath-taking glimpse from Meghan's prayer in action

It was also wonderful to hear Meghan talk about her own views on her own views on her practice, and the impact of social media upon yoga too. It can feel intimidating and demoralising – especially when you’re in a climate of constant ego-driven competitiveness, and you lose much of the heart of the practice in the process.

While it’s important to acknowledge the power and opportunities offered up by these channels – inspiring a lot of people to challenge themselves and discover something new – it felt so refreshing to hear someone approach them with a degree of restraint and caution, too.

In all, the whole experience brings to mind a quote from Dr Roger Walsh that another teacher mentioned to me – “to advance, I retreat!” And that was definite the takeaway point of it all for me. There were plenty of challenges – being one of the few non-yoga teachers there, it certainly brought up a degree of self-doubt and anxiety – but that also made it a great chance to learn as much as possible. And I loved every second of it.

Find out more:

You can find out more about Meghan Currie’s upcoming dates on her continued tour and other activities on her site and social media. It’s also worth checking out her Cody App tutorials to get a taste of her great teaching style.

Meghan is also going to be at the first UK Yoga Festival - Yoga Connects - later this July. It sounds like it’s going to be an awesome experience – 3 days of some of the best teachers in the world, in a beautiful setting, gorgeous food, music and people! What more could you want?? Check out the different package options and get booking, people!

Cardamom and anything - in dark, smooth chocolate, is even better. And when it's raw, it's even, even better.

I loved making this - it was so simple, easy and looks wonderfully impressive. Those colours! Those petals! Those jagged, misshapen chunks of chocolate that had the perfect balance of crunchiness and smooth, melt in the mouth chocolate texture!

This would be a great base to experiment with lots of other barks. I'm already day dreaming about other nuts, fruity hints, chilli...

Bliss.

Rose, Pistachio and Cardamom Raw Chocolate Bark

5 tbsp raw cacao powder

70g raw cacao butter

30g coconut butter

2-3 tbsp raw agave nectar

1/2 to 1 tsp cardamom powder

pinch of sea salt

handful of chopped pistachio nuts

dried edible rose petals (optional)

Instructions

Break the cacao butter into small chunks and place in a glass or metal bowl.

Heat some water and place in a larger bowl. Use a thermometer to make sure the temperature is not above 48 degrees celsius. Stir it gently with a spatula until it melts to a liquid.

Add coconut butter and stir through until it melts together.

Add cacao powder, agave nectar, salt and cardamom and whisk through. Have a taste (it's irresistible at this point) and add a little more agave if you prefer it sweeter, or cardamom powder if you fancy a stronger flavour.

Pour into a flat tray lined with greaseproof paper, or silicon baking case. Top with chopped nuts and rose petals.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Once it has become firm, you can break up the bark into chunks as you like. Keep chocolate refrigerated until serving.

I have to admit that Nutella was one of those things that I could just totally indulge in.

Give me a spoon, a jar, and it'd be instant dessert. Despite its sickly sweetness and not tasting anything like hazelnut, that stuff was pretty addictive. Eurgh.

But this? This is equally addictive. But with none of that tooth-ache inducing sugariness, or general sense of grossness that would come when you realise that you should have put that jar back a long time ago.

If you're a newcomer to making nut milks, or have never tried your hand at hazelnut milk - I urge you to give it a go. Check out this great tutorial from the Blender Girl for some pro tips, although I don't sweeten it or add any emulsifier or salt.

Better than Nutella Milkshake

One frozen banana

1 tbsp cacao

250 ml hazelnut milk

3 soaked dates, drained

Vanilla bean paste, scraped from half a pod

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Ok, this is a challenging one. Pay attention.

Add all ingredients into your blender.

Whizz it up, until it looks too creamy to resist.

Pour and enjoy. (Or you could just glug it from the blender. I've totally not done that. Nope.)

This smoothie bowl is so, so, so easy - and so good. Like seriously - "this should be dessert" levels of deliciousness. And best of all - it takes less than 5 minutes to whip up.

And doesn't it look pretty? Pretty breakfasts are always FTW.

This doesn't have a complex list of ingredients. You don't need a super cupboard of superfoods either - with only avocado, banana, berries, dates and cacao in it - and a splash of milk - it needs virtually no pre-prep. I like to shove a banana in the freezer before I go to bed, and usually have a stash of frozen berries at all times. And with it being so incredibly nutritious and filling, you're going to be pretty happy all morning!

Berry and Cacao Smoothie Bowl

1 large banana - sliced and frozen

1/2 large ripe avocado

2-3 medjool dates

1 dessert spoon of cacao powder

Handful of mixed berries - frozen, fresh or both

Milk of your choice

Instructions

Stick everything in a blender except the berries. Add a splash of milk.

Smoosh it up.

Take a look at the consistency. If it's too thick for you, add a little more milk.

Smoosh some more. Pour into a bowl. Top with berries and scarf it down!

These muffins were the fruition of a flavour craving I’d been having for years.

An aeon ago, I spent some time working on a client’s site in Dublin. It was my first experience with working with a proper creative agency – and the first inkling that being a professional didn’t mean needing a murky wardrobe of pinstripes and tweeds.

One of those formative things that stay with you forever.

One of the best things about them? Lunch time. Proper lunch time. Not one of those sandwiches-crumbling-on-the-keyboard-while-you-shovel-in-your-crisps jobs, but a proper, dedicated enormous oak dining table, big enough to accommodate the entire team, and a kitchen stocked with fresh, delicious food.

Not an M&S pasta pot or sarnie in sight.

The thing that stayed with me most from that experience was the enormous freshly baked loaf of walnut and caraway bread. Dotted with crunchy, creamy nuts, thick, hearty, delicious stuff – filled with the fragrant aroma of caraway.

I’ve craved walnut and caraway ever since, and never found anything else like it.

Until these muffins came along. Now they’re on a weekly rotation. These are big, hearty, moist, slightly sweet, soft and delicious muffins. They could easily be done as a loaf instead, but I like the single serve-easiness of them all.

Dairy-free, egg-free, refined-sugar-free.

Split them, warm them lightly and top with the spread of your choice. Pour a cup. Enjoy.

Instructions

Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the almond milk. Give it a stir and leave for a few minutes to let the milk curdle.

Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius. In a large flat pan, add 100g roughly chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds. Keep the heat at a low temperature and toss until the aroma of caraway seeds becomes distinct. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together.

Add 3 ripe bananas (the riper, the better) to a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, and combine well. It should reach a thick, cake batter consistency. If it's too thick and dry, you may need to add a little water.

Spoon the mixture into muffin cases, filling to the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If your oven is weird like mine, you'll probably want to turn the tray around halfway through to make sure they're baked evenly.

Pad Thai can be a little bit of a tricky one. It’s all about a complex balance of flavours – sweet, sour, salt and a good kick of spice. And after sampling a few different raw Pad Thai recipes around the interwebs, I was left feeling a little disappointed.